Bag-closing machine



Aug. 2, 1927. 1,637,509

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Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

' UNITED STATES 1,637,509 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ALIATT, OI WESTFIILD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORi, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T MILLIE PATENT HOLDING CO. INC.,

NEW YORK.

01 NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION 01' BAG-CLOSING MACHINE.

Application filed September 26, 1822, Serial No. 590,622. Renewed October 23, 1926.

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for closing bags. It pertains more Particularly to a machine for closing bags of the type described in U. S.

5 Letters Patent No. 1,395,642, granted to Benjamin Hirschhor'n on November 1, 1921. In the said patent a bag is decribed, constituting a cartridge for percolating or extractin the flavor from tea-leaves or coffee, sai

cartridge comprising a bag having its mouth drawn 1nto folds or puckered, in combination with a metal strip that encirolesand 'belng shown in other positions; Fig. is

' compresses said folds.- The metal strip serves also to attach to the cartridge 8. string, to the free end of the latter being secured a handle.

The main 'objectoflthe resent invention is to provide a simple an easily operable mechanism, whereby the mouth of an already filled be is closed bypuckering the same and app? ing thereto a metal band, in the form 0 a ring, that embraces the puckered portion of the bag, so as to prevent escaping of the contents.

Another object of the invention is to pro-. vide a bag closing machine of the character mentioned, which is automatic in its operation. With these "and other objects in view, which will more full appear as the nature of the invention is hotter understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and con'struction of parts hereinafter describeds pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and proportion of the several parts and details of con: structionwithin the scope of the appended rear elevation of the machine; Fig. 5 is a section taken on lined-+5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section taken online 6-6 of F i 5; Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7- of claims, without departin from the spirit or- Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the metal strip feeding means and the elements co-operatmg therewith, on a larger scale; Fig. 9 is-a front elevation of the detail shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a top plan view, on a larger scale, of a portion of a machine; Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views of the same portion, the elements being shown in other positions; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the bag puckeringmechanism and the elements co-operating therewith; Fig 14 is a perspective view of the same elements, they a perspective view of the bag trimming mechanism; Fig. 16 is a rspective view of the metal strip cutting evice and the elements cooperating therewith; Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a detail of the device shown in Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the closure -applying dies; Fig. 19 is a to plan view, party in section, of the said dies; Fig. 20 is a similar view of the said dies, in other positions; Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the mechanism for transporting strings and handles to the bags; Fig. 22 is a similar elevation the elements being shown in other ositions; Fig. 23 is a perspective view 0 an ejecting mechanism cooperating with the closure applying device;

and Fig. 24 is an elevation ,of the finished product made on the machine.

Before describing the machine, the prodnot made thereon will be disclosed. This product is illustrated in Fig. 24 of the drawings, and comprises a bag 25 of open-mesh textile fabric, such as cotton, and of a size to contain just sufficient tea-leaves or coffee for a single brewing. The mouth of the bag is closed by drawingor gathering the same into folds, and applying thereto a metallic band 26, that is shaped to assume the form of a ring, embracing the folded portion of the bag below its mouth, so as to prevent escaping ofthecontents. The ends of the metal strip are pointed or triangular, as shown at 27, and so arranged in relation to each other that the small gap between the same'is disposed at an oblique angle to a plane at which one of the'flat faces of the encircling ring is located. For the purpose of facilitating the handling of the cartridge,, there is secured thereto a -fiexible means, for instance a string 28, to

which is attached at its free end a handle 29, made for instance of cardboard. This string serves also as the means for suspending the cartridge from the receptacle, such as a tea-pot orcofiee-pot, in which the extraction is to take place. The string is secured to the cartridge by placing it against the folds around the bag month before the band 26 is formed to constitute a ring-shaped closing means for the bag. While the ends of the rin do not meet, as shown in Fig. 24, the string 28 is under all circumstances securely heldin' place, the triangular ends of the band overlapping, as shown. 3 The bag closing machine comprises a frame, including a horizontal table portion 30, mounted'upon legs or standards 31. Above this table portion and suitably spaced therefrom is held a horizontally extending plate member 32. A horizontally extending driving shaft 33 is journaled in a gear hous ing 34, which is disposed on the tableportion 30. This shaft carries a WormT33, in mesh with a worm gear 35' on avertical shaft 35, the latter being journaled in bearings 36 on the table 36 and frame member 32, and constitutes the main driving shaft of the machine. Rotation may be imparted to the shaft 33 in any suitable manner from any desired source of power, for instance,

' by the intermediary of a belt 37, running over a fixed pulley 38 on the shaft 33. On the last-mentioned, shaft is also mounted a loose pulley 39, with a co-operating belt shifter 40 of any suitable construction, and including a bar 41, which extends to the front of the machine, so as to be within the reach of the operator.

In bearings 42 on the horizontal frame members 30 and 32 is rotatably mounted a vertical shaft- 43, and to this shaft is fixed below the table 30 a wheel 44, having four equidistantly spaced notches 45 in its pe; riphery. .VVith these notches co-operates a spring pressed pawl 46 on an arm 47, which is oscillatably mounted on the shaft 43 and 5 connected by a rod 48 with a pin 49, carried eccentrically by a disk 50, the latter being fixed to the shaft 35 below the table member 30. means of this mechanism intermittent movement is imparted from the shaft 35 to'theshaft 43, the latter being .caused to move step by step in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings adjacent the same. With the wheel 44 cooperatesa me :hanism which holds the shaft -43 stationary during its periods of rest.

This mechanism comprises a lever 51, ful crumed vat 52 to the table portion 30 and carrying upon one of, its ends a pin 53, adapted to enter the notches 45 in the said wheel, and upon its other end an anti-fric tion roller. 54, which co-operates with the disk 50, the latter, being made in the form;

of a cam, as clearlyshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This cam is so timed in rela tion. to the pin 49 thatthe pin/53 sunv menace seated from a notch in the wheel 44 immediately before the pawl 46 starts its feeding stroke. A spring 55, attached to the lever 51 and to a stationary part of the machine, causes the pin 53 to enter a notch immediately before the pawl 46 starts its return movement. In case the spring 55 is broken, obviously the pin 53 would not enter a notch in the wheel 44 and the shaft 43 and others connected thereto, which will hereinafter he described, would be permitted to overrun and cause breakage of the closure applying dies, in addition to throwing the co-operating elements of the machine out of gear. In order to prevent such occurrence, the lever 51 is provided with an extension 51', with which co-acts a cam shaped disk 56, that is keyed to the shaft 35 and provided with a shoulder 57. If the spring 55 breaks and the lever 51. is not shifted to bring its pin 53 into one of the notches ofthe wheel 44, the extension 51 is, in the rotation of the shaft 35, broughtto bear against the shoulder 57, thereby preventing the shaft 35 from further movement, the belt simply. slipping on the fixed pulley 38. After the broken spring has been replaced and the machine is. again in order to.run, the extension 51' is swung out of the path of the shoulder 57, the machine running then in the regular manner. I

In parallel relation to the shaft 43 there are mounted on the machine frame shafts 58 and 59. To these shafts intermittent rotation'is imparted by the shaft 43. For this purpose the shaft 43 carries a gear 60, in mesh with a gear 61 on' the shaft 59, these gears being of equal size whereby the shafts 43 and 59 move at the same speed in the opposite directions. The shaft 59 drives the shaft 58 by means of av chain 62, which runs over sprocket wheels 63 and 64 on the shafts 59 and 58, respectively? A tensioning device 65 of anylsuitable construction co-operates with the'chain 62, for the well known purpose. The shafts 59 and 58 are thus rotated in the same direction, the ratio between the sprocket wheels 63 and 64 being, however, such; that the 'shaft 58 rotates-at a speed lower. than thatof the shaft 59.

To the shaft 58 is keyed, or otherwise at tac'he'd,-a horizontally extending. table 66, arranged helow the level of the frame portion 32 and having radially arranged equidistantly disposed troughs 67 on its upper surface. Above each trough is located a fork-shaped arm 68, attached to a disk 69, which is fixed to the shaft 58. The outer ends of the prongs of the forks diverge,'as

clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to

permit of a convenient insertion between the same'of a filled bag with its mouth fiat, the length of the parallel portions of a fork corresponding substantially to the width of the unpuckered mouth of a bag. The bags are causes the jaw 1 to swin memos inserted between the prongs of the forkshaped arms with their open mouths extending a substantial distance above the said arms, they resting in the troughs 67 and being brought, one after another, in the intermittent movement of the shaft 58 against a stationary ledge70, that is disposed above the arms 68 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, the shafts 58, 43 and 59 being disposed in said axis, as clearly ap cars from Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings. ith the ledge 70 cooperates a jaw 71, fixed to two arms 72', which, in turn, are attached to. a short horizontally extending shaft 73, the latter bein oscillatably mounted in bearings 74. The s aft extends parallel to the ledge 70 and has fixed to it an arm 75, connected by a link 76 with a lever 77. This lever is fixed to a spindle 78, which extends through the frame, member 32 and has fixed to it below the said frame member a lever- 79, carrying an anti-friction roller 80, co-operating with a cam 81, mounted on the shaft35.'

The cam 81, b the connections described, toward the ledge 70 when a bag is brought to rest against the said ledge, the 'aw, together with the ledge, forming a gui e, in the form of a passage-'83 (Fig. 14), in which the bag is moved, by means hereinafter to bedescribed, toward the shaft 43, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Before the jaw 71 is swung against the ledge 70, a string 28 and haridle 29 thereon are brought against the open mouth of the bag. The strings with the handles thereon are engaged, by an o erator, with spring clips 84 on a chain carrier 85, that runs over sprocket wheels 86 and 87, the carrier extending, preferably, at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the machine, the sprocket wheels being mounted in bearings 88, carried by an extension 89 of'the machine frame. on the shaft of the sprocket wheel 87 is mounted a ratchet wheel 90, with which co-operates a spring-pressed pawl 91, that is connected by a link 92 with the arm 47, the arrangement being such that, when the shaft 43 is given a movement, the chain 85 is movedto bring one of the strings 28 and handle 29 within the reach of a pair of jaws, idenoted bythe numerals 93 and 94, which take holdof the string and transfer it to a bag, which rests against the ledge 70.

The jaws 93 and 94 are pivoted at 95 and 96, respectively, to abase member 97, that is oscillatably mounted on a spindle 97 the latter being mounted on lugs 99 on the bearings 74. Through the jaw 93 extends loosely a spindle 98, carried by one of the lugs 99. The spindle 98 extends horizontally in parallel relation to the shaft 73, the pivot pins 95 and 96 extendin alt-right angles to the said spindle. The are member 97 is connected by a link 100 with the arm 75, thereby causing the said jaws to move toward the sprocket wheel 86 when the jaw 71 is caused to move away from the stationary ledge (Fig. 21), the jaws 93 and 94 being brought to bear against a ba resting against the said ledge, before the aw 71 reaches the said bag.

The jaw 93 is provided adjacent its pivot 95 with a projection 101, seated between two projections 102 on the jaw 94. On the spindle 98 is slidably mounted a collar 103,.

tionarypart of the machine frame, its free end carrying a pin 109, in the path of a slide 110. A s ring 111 has one of its ends connected to t e jaw 93 and its other end to the element to which the lever 107 is fulcrumed. The spring 111 is stronger than the spring 104, it thereby having a tendency to hold the jaws 93 and 94, by the intermediary of the projections 101 and 102, in their open positions, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawlngs. When the slide 110, in its movement toward the shaft'58, swin s the lever, 107 around its fulcrum 108, the sleeve 105 is shifted in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings,'the movement being transmitted by the sprin 104 and collar 103 to the clamp 93, which swings around its pivot 95 toward closing position, moving the jaw 94 also to closing position by the intermediary of the coacting pro ections 101 and 102. The slide 110 moves toward the shaft 58, as will hereinafter ap pear, when the jaws 93 and 94 are in their outer positions s 10WI1 in Fig. 21 of the drawings, in which they are brought opposite a string 28 and handle 29 on the chain carrier 85, thereby gripping a string and handle, which are then transferred against the open mouth of a bag, restin against the ledge 70. \Vhen then the jaw %1 has been brought to bear against the said bag, the slide moves toward the shaft 43, thereby releasing the lever 107 and permitting the spring 111 to open the jaws 93 and 94, thus releasing the string and. handle.

The slide 110 moves on the ledge 70, overla ping the passage 83 between the said ledge and the jaw 71,when thelatter is in its closing position shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings. The main purpose of the slide is to pucker the bag andtransfer the same to a carrier 112, that is fixed to the shaft 43. This carrier comprises a disk 113 having four equidistantly spaced radial arms'114 on its upper face, each arm being provided on its outer end with a longitudinal slot 115. which are in the intermittent rotation of the carrier 112 brought in succession into 

